Combination drawbar and support



Jan. 1, 1952 s. E. HILL 2,580,545

COMBINATION DRAWBAR AND SUPPORT Filed Oct. 27, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l yI'il Jan. l, 1952 s. E. HILL COMBINATION DRAWBAR AND SUPPORT Filed Oct. 27, 19g-17 2LT Q Jan. l, 1952 s. E. HILL. 2,580,545

COMBINATION DRANBAR AND SUPPORT Filed oct. 27, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5i .fl 5' l YNIHMEN l Jan. 1, 1952 s. E. HILL 2,580,545

COMBINATION DRAWBAR AND SUPPORT Filed OCC. 27, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet Patented Jan. l, 1952 COMBINATION DRAWBAR AND SUPPORT Stanley E. Hill, Kankakee, Ill., assignor to Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York` Application October 27, 1947, Serial No. 782,376

12 Claims.

My invention relates to a drawbar for a wagon, trailer or the like which is adapted to be drawn by a tractor or other suitable source of locomotion.

A particular object o! my invention is toprovide a device which will serve as a connector between a drawn vehicle and a source of motion, in the form of a tongue, drawbar or the like,

said drawbar having a leg which is movable from a position Where it will support the drawbar elevated in position convenient for coupling, as when the drawn vehicle is standing uncoupled, to a retracted or inoperative position. In combination with said elements I provide means whereby said support is automatically moved from one position to another by the forward or backward movement of the tractor.

I provide such a construction in simple, rugged design which, While inexpensive to fabricate, will withstand the roughest usage, as in connection with agricultural operations.

My invention will best be understood from a detailed consideration of the drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing a drawbar and parts carried thereby embodying my invention, the supporting leg being shown in opera' tive or supporting position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view but with the leg in inoperative or retracted position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed longitudinal section of the same, certain parts being shown in elevation, the leg shown retracted in full lines and extended in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is a similar detailed view of the leg controlling elements in a different position from that shown in Fig. 3, the leg being shown retracted in this view;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but with the parts in the position taken when the leg is extended;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3 on a still further enlarged scale;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the control portions of the drawbar;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line `8--8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 of Fig. 3, and I I y Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line I0--I0 of Fig. 3. I

Numeral I0 represents in general a drawn vehicle, such as a wagon, manure spreader or other vehicle which is to be drawn by a tractor or other sourceof locomotion. Carried by tubular housing I2 or other suitable element on the vehicle I0 is a drawbar comprising a channel I5 which may be stiffened or reinforced by means oi!v a channel I6 (Fig. 10) or other suitable element welded or otherwise secured to the open bottom of the channel.

Carried adjacent the free end of the channel I5 vfor limited relative longitudinal movement is a bar having suitable bitching means on the forward end thereof. Such htching means may comprise a perforated clevis 2I secured as by welding to the bar 20, the aperture of which is in vertical spaced alignment with a corresponding aperture in the bar 20 so as to receive a locking rod 25. A ring 2l or other suitable hitching element carried by the tractor is normally disposed between the bar 20 and the clevis 2I when` plates 35, and also to the bar 20. The plates 35 in combination with the plate 36 form a channel through which extends a journal-like sleeve 38 which receives a pintle 33. This pintle is provided with washers 39. 39 and is retained by means of cotter pins 40, 40 or the like, said pintle extending through diagonal slots 32 on each side wall of the channel I5. Reinforcing plates 33 similarly slotted may be Welded or otherwise secured to each side Wall of the channel.

A supporting leg 50 is pivotally mounted on the drawbar by means of a pintle 52 which extends through suitable apertures in the side Walls of the channel I5, being retained by any suitable means as, for example, a cotter pin 53 at one end' A journal 55 is and a head 54 at the other. welded to the leg to receive the pintle 52.

The leg 50 comprises an angular portion 5'! welded or otherwise secured to a reinforcing plate 58 and has a foot 60 adjustable lengthwise of the leg by means of a spaced hole and a bolt 6I. This foot is provided with earth penetrating flanges 63. The upper extremity of jthe plate 53 is slotted as indicated at 'to engage the pintle" 30 for a purpose which will soon appear.

. The upper face` ofthe channel I5 is apertured as at 68 and secured, as by welding, to `this face of the channel so as to surround the aperture 68 is a flange or frame 'I0 open at one end. In the side walls of this frame I0 is a pintle 'I2 which vserves as a pivot for an angular bar 15 serving as a bell crank lever controlling the position of the leg 50. The upper end of this lever is apertured as at 'I6 whereby a Iiexible member 18 such as a rope may be extended from the lever to rod 25. The opposite end of lever 15 is beveled to form a camiace 80, as seen best in Figs. 3, 4, and 5.

Also pivotally secured to the side walls of the frame l as on a pintle 82 is a latch bar 83, the lower end of the bar 83 likewise being beveled as at 85 to provide a cam surface engageable with pintle 30. A tension helical spring 8i extends between the bar. B3 and the lever 15. A pin 88 is secured to the latch bar S33 extending therefrom transversely so as to lie in the path of bell crank 'i5 when the latter is vrotated counter-clockwise.

Let us assumeV that the vehicle iii is atrest, with the drawbar i5 supported by the leg 59, the parts vbeing in the .relative positions shown in fl. and 5 and .as dotted in Fig. 3. A tractor 0r other suitable source `of power is backed up toward the t,d-rawbar and engage therewith by the rbitching rod 25. IThe tractor is then propelled forwardly and at the same time the operator will draw forwardly on `the cord fit., moving the rbell .crank lever F in a counter-crockwise direction, as seen in the drawings. This will move the lever 75 from a position as shown in Fig. wherein the cam -face -SU is in engagement with the pintle-30, to a position as shown in Fig. i,'\vheresaid bellfcrank lever is stopped by spring tension. Such rotation of the lever l5 releases the sleeve Y38, which previously was retained by the lever, and, therefore, forward movement oi the tractor .will result in moving 'the bar 2! iorwtardiyto an extent limited by the diagonal slot S2 :in vwhich the pintle 30 slides. As the bar 29 moves vforwardly the sleeve 33 of the pintle St, riding inthe slot 65, `will serve tto cam the leg .from 'its vdown or operative position, as seen in-Fig. .5, Ainto Ya retracted position, as seen inY Figs. 2 Ll-and'in full lines in Fig. 3. At the same tension :on the `rope T8, reacting on lever i5 and 11i-11,88., will 'rotate the latch bar 33 in a clockwise direction `about its pivot 82, from the position-shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. i4. Upon release of the bell crank, tension of :spring '.81 will rotate 'latch 83 counter-clockwise to :the position of Fig. 3, Iwith its cam face 235 inengagement withthe sleeve 38 of pintle 3G.

,Should :the `tractor be rhalted and it is desire-d to ,unhitch, ythe operator will pull on rope 'it while backing the tractor. The tension thus produced will rotate Ythe bell crank 'l5 in a counter-.clockwise direction, -so that it will react against pi-n v5,8 thus moving the latch bar 83 in a clockwise `direction ito release bar 2B. Then. rearward movement of the tractor will slide the bar rearwardly relative to the channel l5, pintle 3D sliding through slots 32 and camming .leg 5l! into its downward :or operative position. The tractor may then be unhitched and the draw-bar will .remain elevated, supported by the leg.

A ibar 19t is secured-adjacent the forward end of .channel VI5 tso as to serve as a keeper for bar 2.@ when u-nh-itched, as Yseen in `Fig. il, or dotted in Fig. 3. y

A grease tting 92 is provided for lubricating the bar .20 so that it will slide freely on the channel l5 4under load.

.It will be lseen that I have provided an extremely convenient `arrangement whereby the 4 drawbar of a drawn vehicle or implement may be conveniently supported when not in use, so that it may be quickly hitched without undue effort on the part of the operator from the tractor seat. Manipulation of the supporting leg from operative to retracted position is simple and almost effortless. At the same time, the device may be made in extremely rugged form suitable for agricultural needs at moderate expense.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention will doubtless suggest themselves to those .skilled in the art and, hence, I do not wish to be limited to the specific form shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated .by the .appended claims.

I claim:

l. In combination with a drawbar comprising an element to be carried by an implement and an element having a free end for attachment to a source of locomotion, said second element being permanently connected at `its other end to .the frst element -by a longitudinal closed guideway and transverse lpin connection permitting limited longitudinal movement ,of the second felementrelative to the rst element, and

aclcg iorsuppoi'ting the drawbar, said ieg having a -`lost `motion connection to said ysecond member, and manually roperable -means for latching and Linlatching the leg in operative .and .retracted positions.

2. ,A :combination .as .defined in claim l, Wheresaid 'latching means comprises a pair fof pivoted members one of which latches the ieg in retracted position `and the other of which latches the leg in operative positionpfone of the latch members lhaving iiexible .remote 4control means, and means on fone .of the latch member-s engageable 'by the other of the latch members whereby actuation .by .the remote control means of one latch .member will disengage the other latch member from latching :position 3. .A combination as dened in claim 2 wherein resilientfmeans is provided normally urging said :pivoted members toward-latching position.

A combination as defined in claim l whereinfsaid latching means comprises apairvof pivoted members rotatably mounted on longitudinally spaced pivots on the rst element Vand extending from said pivots toward each other,one of which latch members latches the leg in operative -position :and the other of which latches the leg in retracted position, Ytogether with a manually operable remote control member acting upon one oisaid pivoted members, and means vwherebyzupon rotation the latter will act upon and release the 4other of said `.pivoted `members from latching position.

15. A combinationas vdeined in claim 1, wherein said latching means .comprises Va pair of pivoted members extending downwardly toward each other from their pivots, `each latch member having an end formed to releasably latch said leg, one in drawbar supporting :posi-tion and the .other in retracted position, :and means whereby rotating of one of said pivoted members will release .the .other pivoted member from latching position.

6. .A .combination as defined in claim l wherein said latching means :comprises a pair of vmembers carried vbythe first element on longitudinally spaced pivots, said latch members extending downwardly toward each other and being alternatively lockingly -engageable with said 'second element :in ,different positions of longitudinal adjustment of v.the latter, and vresilient means asada connecting said latch lmembers urging them into latching position.

7. In a combination as defined in claim 6, means on one of the latch members engageable by the other of said latch members whereby rotation of one latch member away from latchingl position will rotate the other latch member out of latching position.

8. In combination with a drawbar comprising an element to be carried by an implement and an element for attachment to a source of locomotion, said elements being relatively longitudinally slideable and telescopic, a transverse member carried by the last mentioned element, an enclosed trackway on the first element in which said transverse element is sldeable, whereby said longitudinal sliding movement is limited, a lef,r pivoted to said rst element for supporting the drawbar when idle, said leg having an elongated passage slidably engageable Vwith said transverse element whereby the leg may be cammed by the longitudinal movement of said second element with lost motion from retracted to drawbar supporting position, and vice versa, and latching means pivotally secured'to the first element for retaining the leg alternatively in retracted and in drawbar supporting position, said latching means being detachably engageable with said transverse element.

9. A combination as dened in claim 8, Wherein said latching means comprises a pair of pivoted members, a resilient member interconnecting said pivoted members, whereby the latter are normally urged into latching position. and means whereby rotation of one of said pivoted members will move the other pivoted member out of latching position. i

10. A combination as defined in claim 8 wherein the latching means comprises a pair of resiliently interconnected members secured on longitudinally spaced pivots above the drawbar, one of said members having a projection whereby rotation of one of the members will rotate the other out of operative position.

'11. A combination as dened in claim 8 wherein said guides l"comprise elongated closed slots formed in opposite walls of the rst element.

12. A combination as dened in claim 1i wherein the latching means comprises a pair oi resiliently interconnected members secured on longitudinally spaced pivots above the drawbar, one of said members having a projection Whereby rotation of one of the members will rotate the other out of operative position.

STANLEY E. HILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,225,157 ACourt Dec. 17, 1940 2,256,310 Braley et ai Sept. 16, 1941 2,388,923 AMasters Nov. 13, 1945 2,400,145 Zink et al. May 14, 1946 

